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Upa Creek, MO

I know many have used a secondary as the main in the past. Have any big-uns been grown when having a secondary as the new main? I am also assuming I would let what would be terts act as the new secondaries? Thanks again as it's a new year and a new problem.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=178665

5/20/2012 5:22:14 PM

Buffalo, New York

i had to do it last year on both my plants within a day of eachother if not the same day. I think the soil got way to hott and burnt the tips.

This early in the game, I wouldnt worry. In a week or 2, you wont even notice.

5/20/2012 6:02:21 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

You bring up a great point Jeremy. I too have lost main vine growing tips to excessive midday heat and solved it by constructing a small wire hoop out of Red Brand fencing about 2 feet wide, 3 feet long, and 18" high covered with remay. I just move it outward as the main vine grows. This will also keep the starlings from nipping your growing tips, as they will not go under the hoop.

5/20/2012 7:32:54 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

P.S.- use clips to secure the remay to the wire hoop so you can roll it up as needed to prevent excessive heat under the cover.

5/20/2012 7:34:19 PM

Rapid City, SD

we set laundry baskets over tips here.......never lost a main yet

5/20/2012 8:23:09 PM

Buffalo, New York

oh yeah, i had plastic chairs over both mains too everyday last year, and they both still fried.....so i still blame the hot soil.

5/20/2012 9:05:17 PM

canal winchester ohio

I do something similar to Joe. I make a PVC structure 3'x3' and 2' high, basically a box shape. I cut shade cloth to fit only on top of the structure so air flows under it. I secure the shade cloth to the PVC with PVC clips I get from extreme pumpkin store.

5/20/2012 9:37:10 PM

Muddy Waters

When its real Hot I turn on the drip tape at 1 pm to cool the soil.

5/21/2012 7:33:28 AM

Upa Creek, MO

Thanks for the replies, but it wasn't heat or the sun.

Jeremy, how did you do using a secondary? I cut my main off last night.

5/21/2012 8:59:32 AM

Colorado

Use the last secondary(closest to the cut) as the main. Use the tertiary's( on that secondary)as secondaries

5/21/2012 12:39:15 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Thanks Joe

5/21/2012 3:27:52 PM

Buffalo, New York

after training a secondary i believe back in early july.....my fruit (pollinated on 7-6 and 7-12 on my 2ndary mains got up over 800 and 900 and split.

I dont think i used the last 2ndarys available. I might have used the most aggresive ones i could find within 1-2' from the burnt tips.

I had a good 300 sq ft behind each burnt tip, so that made my fruit grow quick.....probably too quick.

check last years diary for the nightmares.

5/21/2012 3:29:41 PM

Buffalo, New York

im sorry, i lost my mains late june last year.

here is a picture the day after i found her split. 11' up the stump, you can see where i trained a tiny secondary into the new main.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=168603

5/21/2012 3:37:35 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Thanks, nice to know that new mains can grow big. Sorry about the splits.

5/21/2012 3:46:39 PM